Finding Daniel
by Anthony R Brown
Summary: Post curse Emma Swan finds Fairy Tale Land exiles and brings them to Storybrooke and the Fairy Tale World . Regina is imprisoned, seemingly beyond hope of redemption. Emma sets out to "find" Daniel, the stable boy, for Regina's "True Love's kiss. rev. 1


Finding Daniel

As always in Fairy Tale Land she awoke to a bird's chirping. She opened one eye and saw the Bluebird on the windowsill. "Alright, alright, I'm getting up," she told it. If she didn't, it would next alight on her pillow and screech in her ear. "Tell Mother I'll be down when I've washed my face." She entered her bathroom. _At least we have modern plumbing_.

After descending four flights of stairs – _no elevators in the castle, _she found her parents at the small table. The window that opened to the garden held two birds and a chipmunk. At her greeting her father just nodded, but Mother said, "Good morning, Emma." She felt a wondrous thrill on hearing Snow White say her name. How could so much love be poured into a name?

Emma sat down and reached for the thermos. Hot chocolate with (always at _this_ table) cinnamon.

"Have some eggs and bacon, Emma," said her father.

"I'll just grab something at Granny's when I get through." Emma rarely had much breakfast.

"Will you be able to take the new elevator down, do you think?"

"I hope so, Dad. I don't like the horse powered one at all, and 300 feet is a long way to climb down. But I'm optimistic. I think Leroy has managed to preserve enough electrical power through the cable to power it. But he says it's unlikely he can power anything further away from the center." Emma always used Storybrooke names for people. Except for her parents.

"I have a letter for you to take to Red," put in Snow White, "and one from Granny, too."

"Will we see you next weekend?" asked Prince James.

"I'm not sure. It depends on how quickly I can locate the two new ones in Miami."

"I am always surprised at how many exiles we have," said Mother, "and at how easily you find them."

"There were a lot of reasons to leave, if you could. I hope we are removing those reasons, so that they will want to come back to us."

"You _know_ we are" said James. Emma did know her father worked tirelessly to reorganize the realms into stable, non-violent communities where the people could live their (relatively simple) lives productively and in comfort. There was no one better for that task. He _was_ a shepherd after all. And having the complete support of the celebrated Snow White didn't hurt.

"Oh, Emma, quick give me your hand!" said Snow White. Emma did so. Then she felt the kick.

"He's kicking Dad," Emma said with genuine excitement. The thought of her baby brother in Snow White's belly gave Emma a whole grab bag of emotions. Joy, love, anticipation … and _regret_. Emma was careful not to let the regret ever show. She could still hide emotions if she wished. Not from Snow White, of course. No one Emma had ever met was more intuitive and empathetic than her mother. But her mother and she had long ago stopped feeling the need to discuss their mutual regret. Snow White felt so much guilt at her and Emma's separation that it was almost palpable. Emma had assured her mother time and again that she held others responsible for it. Regret and sadness (and anger for Emma) would always be there, but neither woman any longer wanted to bring them out to darken their relationship. Emma had resolved that the Curse was not allowed to have any negative effect anywhere anymore.

In any event Emma was certainly anticipating the birth. The nursery was ready again and _this_ time Snow White would raise her child. Emma would help.

As she took her leave, Emma reflected that one special ability she possessed, to find people, was perhaps the greatest "super power" of all time. Against all odds, against the duplicity and selfishness of others, Emma had found her family, and she was never going to let it get away.

The new elevator was working, and Emma, accompanied by Leroy and a veritable mountain of boxes descended into the old mine. The boxes were full of the "antiques" for which Storybrooke had in just a few years become known. They were in reality simple objects made in Fairy Tale Land, but they always acquired a "air" of antiquity. This was probably due to the fact that Storybrooke was about 300 years in the FTL "future" if one measured time as progressing in parallel. Gold could (almost) explain it so that others could understand, and Gold showed them how to shield objects from the aging phenomenon. But it was useful as the basis for Storybrooke's and Fairy Tale Land's economy. "Antiques" came out and modern conveniences went in. Nothing electrical or chemically powered would work, but lots of useful things did not need a power source. Steam power seemed to work for a while, but the engines always broke down in short order. By now Emma had realized that Fairy Tale Land was going to remain animal powered for the foreseeable future.

It really was no issue anyway because any activity requiring real power was done in Storybrooke.

In Storybrooke, Emma drove from the mine to the sheriff's station. Her three deputies, two not of Fairy Tail birth, were holding down the fort.

"Hi, chief. How were the backwoods?"

"Quaint," replied Emma. _Certainly true_. "I had a restful time."

"Did you see Mary Margaret and David?" This from Mr. Gold, who had appeared as if by magic in the station.

"Yes, Mary Margret's doing well. They have the nursery already done. They wanted me to thank you for the unicorn mobile."

"I would say it was made for their child," Gold replied, and Emma actually had to stifle a laugh. "Belle, wanted me to invite you for dinner, if you're free."

"I'd be delighted."

Mr. Gold had acquired Jefferson's place. Emma always remembered that night in it when she visited. In some ways her initial encounter with Jefferson was the beginning of her real work in Storybrooke. That was when she began to believe, if only a little. What she had said to Jefferson was designed only to win his trust, but Emma realized now that the words had been so effective, because she actually meant them. _Best of all, it was all true_.

As Emma reached the landing she pushed away her other feelings about Jefferson, so that her mood would be cheerful. When she came to the door, it burst open. Belle was there, but lagging behind little Maurice.

"Emma, Emma, hi Emma. Emma, Bae is here!" Maurice ran into her embrace. And, there, behind Belle, was Emma's husband, Baelfire. She suddenly found herself in his arms. Unmindful of the others they kissed long and deeply. They only stopped when Gold started applauding.

"Enjoying the show?" said Emma.

"Always, dearie," replied her father-in-law.

Bae told her over dinner that his business on the West Coast rapped up unexpectedly early. "I didn't call because I thought you were in FTL, and, I would be here by the time you returned."

"Can you come with me to Miami?"

"Of course, that's why I rushed back."

"Mommy, why is Emma going to Miami?" inquired Maurice.

"Because some people need to be found," Belle replied with her accent always reminding Emma of Australia for some reason. "Emma is the best person in all the world at finding people."

"Emma, that's like a superpower!" Maurice was at the age where the stories of super heroes were fascinating.

"It's not so dramatic, Maurice," Emma lied. "I just put two and two together and work out where the people should be." Emma never like talking about her powers. She liked using them even less.

Bae put in, "It's really just a chance for us to get away together. You know, Maurice, that we both are very busy, and we are apart a lot."

Gold considerately changed the subject. "Have you called Henry yet?"

"No." Emma and Baelfire replied simultaneously, and then both burst out laughing.

"Little wonder their marriage is so good, Rump," said Belle. "Their minds are always synchronized."

"We'll call right after we're finished here," said Emma brightly. "And then I would like to discuss something serious with you." All knew she meant Gold.

Later Emma was alone with Gold. Baelfire had gone to Emma's place to collect some things as Emma was going to stay with him here until they left for Miami.

"Alright, dearie. What is it?"

"Regina," Emma simply replied. "I want to do something for her. She is the only one we haven't fixed. I want to break her curse."

"No, no, no. What you want is impossible. Her curse is so strong and so black, that even trying to break it will damage you. Extremely damage you. You can't. The price would be too high."

"But it eats at me that we can't help her. Every Fairy Tail Land person has a chance at a good and happy life, except for Regina. There must be something."

"The only safe remedy for a curse like hers is 'True Love's' kiss. I don't see how she's going to get that."

"Okay, that's what I thought you would say, so try this on for size. I want to go back and bring Daniel to her."

Gold actually turned red in the face he was so angry. "No, no, no! You would risk everything – your life, everyone's life. And for what. To redeem the woman responsible for your losing your childhood, for Graham's death, for the death of both of her parents, for crimes so numerous and heinous that I don't like to think of them."

"You did things equally as wrong … perhaps worse," Emma said unblinkingly. "And yet here you are."

"I am lucky. Lucky on two accounts. First I had Belle, and, thus 'True Love's' kiss. Secondly, you, Emma Swan, would not allow them to punish me."

"Well, then, all we are missing is Daniel."

"Or we could simply execute her."

_He sounds like the old Rumpelstiltskin._ "You know I will never allow that," she said flatly.

"We could force your hand. Or do it when you are away." A slight pause. "To protect you!"

Emma was furious. "Protect me! Protect me! Which one of this sorry lot is going to protect _me_? None of you did it before. Not one!" Gold started to reply, but Emma overrode him. "I know you never cared what happened to me, so long as I came along and broke _your_ Curse. It's the others, my parents' so-called supporters, I'm talking about, each with their selfish ends leaving me parentless in a strange land. Then when they needed _me_, 'Please save us.'"

Emma made a conscious effort to calm herself. "Do you comprehend the burden of guilt Snow White caries every day about not being with me. She knows she should not feel it, intellectually, but it is always there, and it affects our relationship."

"But she knows _you_ do not blame her."

"Of course. She knows my opinion, that only she and Father acted honorably in that time, to each's detriment, of course. _No good deed goes unpunished._ It helps, but at the bottom there is the fact that she was not 'there for me'."

Gold was silent.

"So stop wasting our time. Remember that Regina started down the dark path because of Cora's trying to 'protect' her! Do you want that for me?"

Gold said nothing. Emma felt a warning was necessary.

"You should know, _Rumplestiltskin_, that should I go to darkness, I will be more terrible than you can imagine. Worse than Regina easily." She paused for effect. "More powerful by far than _you_ ever were. So think long and hard before you do anything that could start me that way."

This last and, particularly, the use of his Fairy Tale Land name, made Gold turn white as a sheet.

Emma continued more mildly. "Besides, think of what it would do to Henry."

Emma took Gold's silence for acquiescence, if not acceptance. The exchange reminded Emma of something. "I will have to tell Henry. I can't try this without his knowing."

"Why don't we have Henry come here when you are back from Miami. You can tell him then. I will also see Regina and find out as many details as I can about when Cora killed Daniel. We can plan your operation when we know them."

Miami was straightforward. Emma found the two Fairy Tale People – children as so often they were – within half a day of arriving. They were in foster care, in a group home. They were not related but somehow had been kept together, probably because each had a little personal power and could unconsciously influence the officials responsible for them. The children were bewildered at first, but soon calmed down. Bae was especially helpful with this. He had an easy manner that contrasted with Emma's too often tenseness. Emma had all the necessary paperwork but was prepared in any case to conjure any additional ones they might need. In retrieval operations Emma wouldn't hesitate to use her powers. She would have also used them to influence children's services officials, if necessary. "This magic comes with a high price," Gold had informed her in the beginning. "It's a price I'm willing to pay," was Emma's response; and that was true. But to her relief, she hadn't needed to this time.

They put the kids in an adjoining room, had a room service dinner with them, got them settled in for the night, and retired themselves. Emma was still very tense, so Bae started just chatting a little.

"A good day's work, Em. Two more returned to the fold." Emma grunted. "How many is it now, Em?"

"One hundred and thirty seven."

"How did we get so many exiles?" Bae wondered.

"A large number of shady wizards and witches, spending all too much time trying to make other people miserable. And often succeeding...As you and I already know, seeing as how we were both exiles, ourselves."

"My father was probably the shadiest of them all."

"That he was," Emma agreed. "But he was responsible for very few exiles... Aside from you, of course. And I retrieved them almost immediately."

"Well, then why are you so down after one of these retrievals?"

"I know exactly why. I've discussed this many times with Mother. I always think of what they have lost, not what they are gaining. And I know it's pointless. 'The past is the past! Think of their bright future.' But I just feel their loss so strongly." She paused for a moment but Bae remained silent.

"It's that damned empathy I got from Snow White. She can keep it from overwhelming her, but I can't. I just get so depressed, and nothing I do makes it go away. Time is the only thing that works. I have to go through all of it again. Abandoned on the road side – a foundling. No sign of parents. Lucky to be found alive. A horrible childhood in foster home after foster home. Out on my own at 16. Lots of trouble. Jail. A string of bad men. Pregnant and alone at 18. Never connecting with anyone. Not able to form attachments. Emotionally dead. 'Walls Up' as Mary Margaret said to me. Then Henry finds me out of the blue. Storybrooke, like the Twilight Zone, except its real! Wacko people, weird situations, a psycho mayor, a really strange pawn broker, and the sheriff dropping dead just after I kissed him! A missing person with a heart in a jewelry box, but the person isn't dead. My first real friend put through the ringer about the non-murder. Reviving a coma patient by reading stories to him. Then he turns into the most wishy-washy person you can imagine which further torments my friend. A guy kidnaps me to make a magic hat. Another guy shows me a tree with a hole in it where he claims we came out. "

She stopped to take a couple of breaths. Bae stroked her arm.

"Then to top it all off, Regina tries to poison me but gets Henry, and, everything Henry's told me is true, but I get to kill a dragon so Gold can double cross me," her voice broke a little. "I think Henry is dead, but when I kiss him goodbye, he revives. Everybody wakes up, Gold takes the potion I retrieved from the dragon, tosses it in the magic well, and before you know it I'm a goddamn witch, myself, who has to defeat both of them, and as a reward I get to run around two worlds solving everybody's problems."

She stopped. Showed no signs of continuing.

"Henry did tell you you had a destiny," Bae said with a little chuckle.

"I'll add 'Gave birth to a Prophet', to the list," she said sarcastically, but, then, burst into laughter. Bae joined in, and they laughed until tears came to their eyes.

"Feel better?" asked Bae.

"Yes, all better," she replied and punctuated that by snuggling closer to him.

"Was I really just one in a 'string of bad men'?"

"You weren't bad. In fact, you were really good." She now stroked him, but not on his arm. "You just left, and I couldn't find you."

"How could _you_ not find anybody?" Bae was actually puzzled about this.

" I know, that is weird...Maybe I just didn't try hard enough."

"You did find me in the end." Bae's voice was suddenly different.

"And I'm so glad I did."

That was the last thing either said for a long time.

It was six weeks until Emma decided the preparations were finished for Operation Daniel as Henry called it. Her family's reactions were all over the map. Her father was so nervous that he began to resemble David Nolan. Gold was very tense, insisting that they do dry run after dry run. Belle seemed calm, reminding Gold that, "Emma always does the right thing." Emma appreciated the sentiment, but didn't recall that as one of her powers. She knew her mother was also nervous, but Snow White never let it show. But her birds were visibly agitated, and seemed to spend a lot more time around Emma.

Emma spent a lot of time, herself, with Henry, who was home from Harvard for the summer break. It was prudent to train him a little. She didn't want to and had, in fact, avoided this until now. She and Snow White had had, if not arguments, vigorous discussions about telling Henry what he was.

"Emma, it his right to know."

"Mother, it is such a burden. Can't we spare him that for the time being?"

But with the dangers of Operation Daniel, and the not unlikely outcome that she would be lost to them, Emma revealed the truth to Henry.

"So I'm a wizard." He sounded like the actor in the Harry Potter movies.

"That's … kind of a loaded word, Henry. You simply have a large amount of personal power."

"Magic, you mean. Like you have. I guess it makes sense that I have some. Can you teach me some tricks?" Henry, as always was eager.

"Magic is another loaded word. What you can do, Henry, is alter reality to fit what your mind wants. The extent to which you can alter it, depends on the strength of your personal power." Emma paused a couple of beats to let that sink in. "But any change in reality requires you use a lot of power. And that changes you. Even if only a little. Every time I do some 'magic' I'm different that I was before. Small differences mostly and mostly self-correcting; the changes dissipate in time. It's the big changes that carry the risk."

She was quiet again, this time for several minutes. Henry didn't say anything.

Emma continued finally. "Henry, your power is great enough that you will be able to make big changes. And you will find yourself tempted to make those kind of changes. Tempted very often. But you need to resist these temptations. A big change poses a huge personal risk for you. If you absolutely have to do some 'magic' always look for the simplest change, the tiniest use of you power."

"But, Mother, you have made big changes, haven't you?" Henry seemed almost upset.

" I made a huge change when I broke the Curse," Emma stated simply.

"Why didn't that change you, Mother?" Henry was now really agitated.

"It did, Henry, it changed me tremendously."

"But you seem so much like yourself. How did you get over the changes. Did they go away?"

"No, Henry, those changes are permanent. The person I am now … didn't exist before then."

"I don't understand. I don't think you changed at all."

"Henry, the person I am now is exactly the person you hoped to find when you set out for Boston, right." He nodded. "The person you wanted didn't exist then. You couldn't see that because you were seeing what you wanted to see. You projected your expectations onto me."

"You mean I made you up?"

"In a way. You believed in the "me" that you wanted, so as I began to change, I just kept moving toward the image you had in your mind. Your influence on my change was the most powerful one of all."

Henry was silent at this, but Emma could see that he was considering all of it. Finally he said, "Do I measure up to your image of me?"

Emma weeped. "Oh, Henry, you are everything a mother could want in a child. Every day I give thanks that you found me." She actually started to sob. Henry came to her and embraced her. She put her head on his shoulder, and cried. They stayed like this for a long time. Finally Emma broke the embrace and said, "Now to practical matters. We're going to the mine. I need to show you how to maintain the portal and, if necessary, to reopen it."

When preparations were complete, all gathered in the great room of Belle and Gold's house. Emma needed to leave from Storybrooke, because she was going into the past of Fairy Tale Land. Actually they would go to Narnia first because the barrier from the "real" world and Narnia was the weakest to any Story Book Land. And the barriers between Story Book Lands were not as strong as to Storybrooke.

When the kisses and hugs were done, Emma spoke.

"When we get back, nobody should touch us or speak to us before Henry. He will know if I'm safe. If not, he also knows what to do."

The people in the room were puzzled by this, except Snow White.

"Emma, that's too much responsibility for Henry. He's too young."

Emma grew very angry at this, but before she could speak, James said, "Snow, what do you mean by responsibility?"

Seeing that Emma was angry, Snow White replied is a wooden voice, "Emma has a cyanide capsule embedded in one of her molars. If she bites down just so, the poison will kill her so rapidly that even her powers can't stop it. There is a phrase which if she hears, will compel her to do just that. I know the phrase, and, apparently, so does Henry." She shifted her gaze to Emma. "Do you want to burden Henry with this?"

Every one could see that Emma was furious with her mother. "Oh, so you think it's wrong for a mother to put great responsibility in the hands of her child? Because that is just what you did. You and father."

Snow White replied, "No, of course not. I just meant that I can keep that burden. Henry doesn't need it."

Emma softened. This might be the last time she ever spoke to her mother, after all. "Mother, I don't trust you to do it. I trust Henry, because Henry always knows what is right. Do what Henry says."

Everyone settled down, but Emma thought she should repeat the hugs and kisses. In Snow White's ear she whispered, "I will always love you, Mother." Snow White just nodded; she couldn't speak.

Emma and Bae moved to the center of the room away from the other. The held each other tightly, and with a puff of white smoke, they were gone. The instant Emma was gone, Snow White broke out with racking sobs. She was inconsolable for hours.

Emma and Bae materialized on a rocky mountain top. She knew it likely to be deserted, as she had been there before. And even if someone saw them, neither had a past in Narnia to disrupt. People in Narnia were accustomed to strange occurrences, so seeing them would not cause anyone to become psychotic. The found a couple of large boulders to sit on.

"OK. Done with the easy part. When we come back from Fairy Tale Land, I am going to try to bring us right back here. I might need your help, so we need to stay here for a hour or so to imprint the surroundings in your mind. Just relax and absorb the scenery."

Bae actually fell asleep, which when Emma woke him, astounded him. "How can I sleep at a time like this?"

"Bae, you are the most serene person I have ever met. Little causes you anxiety. Your stability is what I need on this mission. That's why you are here." When Bae seemed to swell with pride at this, Emma added, "Henry would have been better, but I can't risk him."

Now deflated, Bae said, "So I'm just the expendable extra in this show."

"You might be expendable, but you're not an extra." She waited a bit. "Bae, we are either both going to survive or both die in this. There will be no single survivor."

"OK. I can live with that...Or die with it." His good humor was back.

Emma said, "It's time." When they embraced again, Emma said, "We should be there a few hours before the critical time. We'll arrive at the edge of the woods near the stable. We have a light glamor on us that should keep anybody or any animal noticing us easily. We'll slip into the woods and get our bearings. Then we'll set up in the stable. And wait."

Getting into the stable went according to plan. The encountered no one and any animals that noticed them were of the insect/worm variety. They waited.

When Daniel came into the stable, Emma knew things would happen soon. Not ten minutes later, Regina arrived with her bag. Emma was absolutely astonished at how different Regina was from the woman she knew in Storybrooke. Younger, certainly, but also with a free and open spirit. Not for the first time Emma made the silent vow to discover what sort of malevolent spirits, gods, what have you, were responsible for this travesty of a world. There would be a reckoning.

Back to task. Cora arrived with a bang. The dialog was hard to listen to, knowing that Cora was simply manipulating the situation. Emma had wondered if Cora had intended to kill Daniel from the start, or had just gone there as a result of all that was said. Emma decided she had come to the stable to kill Daniel regardless of anything, because someone that evil always took the easy way out. Just remove the obstacle.

When Cora pulled the mistakenly relieved Daniel aside, Emma focused all her concentration of Cora's right hand. Cora moved fast, but Emma was able to cast the freezing spell when Cora's hand was only a millimeter from his chest.

The spell really didn't freeze time. Emma knew that such a thing would violate the Second Law of Thermodynamics which amazingly enough applied to all worlds, magic or otherwise. What the spell could do was slow time down for everyone but herself and Bae. One of their seconds would correspond to ten picoseconds of Fairy Tale Land. Emma had calculated that they had at least five and perhaps six minutes to accomplish everything.

First she cast a covering spell on Daniel. A glamor wouldn't be strong enough to fool Cora. What the covering spell did was construct a physical cover of Daniel which would reflect light exactly as Daniel's body and clothing would. There were slits in the back and on the back of the arms and legs so that Bae could remove Daniel without greatly upsetting the cover. Emma damped any movements immediately. Bae pulled Daniel rapidly out of Cora's visual field. Emma brought Daniel into hers and Bae's time field. Daniel began to stir, but Emma put a stunning spell on him.

While Emma watched Cora, Bae pulled out the blood collection equipment. This part of the operation was dangerous for Daniel, because they had to extract two pints rapidly. More rapid that Daniel's normal blood flow would allow. Doc had constructed a pump attachment that would synchronize the extraction with Daniel normal heart pumping. "We don't want to collapse a vein," is how the little man put it. _Doc is a genius and has been since he was hatched_. They used both of Daniel's femoral arteries. "You must try to maintain the blood flow to the brain. Leg damage we can easily repair."

Finally the blood was out. One beneficial side effect of this part of the operation is that it would render Daniel unconscious. Emma released the stunning spell. Bae rushed the container with the blood to Emma along with the other container filled with dust. Emma couldn't afford to take dust from the surroundings because it would just provide more opportunities for Cora to detect something wrong. Emma extracted the blood and moved into the container of dust. It mixed rapidly. She put the mixture inside the Daniel cover and augmented it with water vapor taken from the air in the stable. Emma had calculated that the reduction in relative humidity caused by this was undetectable without advanced technical equipment. Cora might feel some difference but wouldn't fix on it because of what she (thought she) was doing to poor Daniel. The mixture rapidly filled up the cover. Emma constructed an apparently real human male anatomy from it that fit Daniel's cover. The skin, nails and hair she produced were identical to those on Daniel because she used his blood. Emma had practiced this five separate times. The last two produced bodies that appeared real unless a modern autopsy was performed. Emma knew that Cora had buried the body within minutes of Regina leaving the stable. _Dust to Dust_. Replicating the clothing was trivial. With the externals done, Emma took a real human heart from the medical thermos. Since Cora would crush this with her own hand, it had to be real. Emma reached her hand with the heart through the back slit in the cover and magically reached through the 'body' to emplace the heart. Magically she made the vein connections. And then she started the heart. This again she had practiced, and the practice paid off, with the heart immediately beating. Cora's hand was almost touching the 'body.'

Emma rushed back to Bae and Daniel and waited. This was critical. Emma had to stay until Cora took the heart, because she need to keep it beating. She planned to transport them when Cora's attention was all on the heart in her hand. Cora's hand entered the 'body.' Emma set a reaction spell so that the simulacrum would react as Daniel would have to the invasion.

As Cora's hand was closing on the heart, Emma felt the first stab of pain. Cora like all magical beings sent out probes from her power continuously, keeping her intensely aware of her surroundings. Since arriving Emma had suppressed hers, because otherwise Cora would have detected Emma at the distance of a mile. So Emma had no advanced warning when the first probe hit her. She rapidly constructed defenses against the other probes. Many she blocked but some still got through. Not enough to alert Cora yet, but enough to cause great pain. She reached out to Bae and drew on his power. It helped, but Emma realized she would lose this race. There was still a minute of slow time until Cora would be so focused on the heart that they could teleport. Emma began to realize she could not hold out that long. Either they died, or Cora would detect them. But if she killed Daniel and Bae by transforming them to straw, and she transported herself to the woods and bit on the capsule, she might preserve the timeline. Her body would be found, but she would destroy her clothing and put great bite marks on herself before she bit the capsule. She would appear to have died due to an animal attack.

Emma steeled herself for the effort, all the while fending off Cora's probes. She said a silent goodbye to Snow White, Prince Charming and Henry. _What a strange life_. As she started to enact the curse to transform Daniel, she stopped. Cora's attack seemed to have lessened. Emma realized that another power had joined hers and Bae's in shielding her. Emma couldn't place the source of the power, but she saw that with it they might last long enough to transport. It would be close, and Emma should still go ahead with her plan, but there seemed to be a little voice in her head saying, "No, Mother. We can make it." Henry was always right, so Emma kept waiting. After what seemed like an eternity, and with the pain building up again, Emma saw that Cora's attention was now focusing on the heart in her hand. The 'body' was falling over and Regina was rushing to it, a great rent opening in her soul where the darkness would pour in. They transported.

Arriving back in Narnia, Emma collapsed. Bae was disoriented but made himself go to her side immediately. She was breathing but shallowly and her pulse was rapid. He arranged her carefully on her back and put a little pillow under her head. Satisfied that she would be comfortable for a few moments, he performed similar functions for Daniel, if not quite so gently. Daniel was white as a sheet, but he had lost two pints of blood. He would need water and food soon, but Bae would attend to Emma first. Bae got out the portable heater and activated it. He put Daniel right next to Emma, retrieved a squeeze bottle filled with what Doc had called "Fairy Tale Land Energy Drink," and gathered his wife onto his lap. He put the tube into her mouth and squeezed gently. She swallowed, to Bae's enormous relief. After two more, he gave Daniel some. Daniel began to stir. Bae slipped a sedative pill under Daniel's tongue. Bae wanted no part of explaining the situation to Daniel. The plan actually provided for Daniel's orientation only after they returned to Storybrooke. Snow White would be the first person to talk to Daniel because she had actually met him.

Now Emma stirred a bit. Bae shifted her into a more upright posture and put his arms around hers and cradled her in his lap. He wanted to shield her from the whole world.

"Are you OK?" Bae asked.

"I hurt all over. But no permanent injuries. I think I should go to the hospital for a while."

"I'm not sure my health insurance covers magical injuries."

"I'll make it a short stay, then."

Emma was quiet after that. Bae was content just to hold her. They both fell asleep.

Bae woke up to the realization that both his arms were "asleep." _This is going to really hurt_. He moved what felt like lifeless stumps to restore circulation to his arms. _Pinocchio must felt like this right before Emma cured him_. Soon his body felt normal again. He carefully lowered Emma to the ground and put her head back on the small pillow. He went about making a meal. He chuckled at the fact that he was using a Coleman stove in Narnia. Modern technology worked a little better in Narnia than in Fairy Tale Land. Propane actually burned at a reasonably high temperature. Bae also rigged an IV drip for Daniel. They had some plasma bags along for this. Eating would be better for restoring him, but the drip could be used while keeping Daniel sedated.

With a hot meal ready, Bae woke Emma. Emma could now sit on her own. She wolfed down the food. After seconds, Emma stopped and looked at Bae. "Alright. Ask away." Emma always knew when someone wanted to broach a difficult subject.

"Near the end there, I got the feeling you might "pull the plug" on the whole operation."

"Well, yes, I almost terminated it. I thought Cora was going to detect us."

Bae knew what Emma meant by 'terminating.' "I felt you draw on my power."

"I took all that you had. It wasn't going to be enough. But at the last instant, I was joined by another power. It seemed to be inside of me. And it kind of said something like, 'We can make it Mother.'"

"You think it was Henry. How did he manage it?"

"I have no idea. He will tell me, I'm sure. But since it was Henry, I did what the voice said."

"I'll be sure to thank our boy when we get back."

"What you said."

After a few more hours of rest, Emma said it was time to return. Bae packed everything up in preparation for leaving. _Pack out your trash_. Bae asked her, "Are we returning right after we left?"

"No, I'm bringing us back a day later."

"That wasn't the plan. They'll be worried sick."

"I want them to worry. 'All magic comes with a price,'" she quoted. "This is their price."

"Why are you punishing them for helping you with a mission you initiated?"

"They agreed to help with it too easily. I got no 'push back' from any of them. I don't need 'yes men.' This will remind them that I need resistance. The temptation to use magic to solve problems is so, so strong, Bae. My family must help me fight the temptation."

"But you said this operation was the right thing to do. Henry agreed."

"Oh, it was, it is. And I had prepared plenty of arguments in its favor. I just didn't have to use them. Next time they will give me what I need."

"Next time? I thought you said this was a 'one time' thing."

"Oh it is. But the cosmos is tricky. So to quote James Bond, 'Never say never.'"

"James Bond?"

"We _are_ on a 'secret' mission."

Daniel's latest pill was wearing off. They didn't want him drugged to the gills. So Emma put a light stunning spell on him. She would remove it the instant they appeared in Storybrooke. It was the first magic she performed since the stable. It was painful.

They held each other and both held Daniel with their free hand. Emma pictured where she wanted to be and when she wanted to be, gave a little mental push, and it was done. They were back in the great room at Bae's father's house. Suddenly Emma was overwhelmed with pain and started to faint, again. This time she was caught … by her father. Ignoring her instructions he had gone right to her and kept her from falling. He carried her to a nearby room where a bed was ready. When he placed her gently on the bed, Henry appeared. Henry stared Emma directly in her eyes for some time, visibly relaxed, and told his grandfather, "She's alright. She's safe." At that James reappeared with bright shiny eyes and tears on his cheeks. He kissed her and said with a breaking voice, "Thank God you are OK. We were so worried. I don't know what I would have done, if you didn't come back."

"It's alright, Dad. Everything is alright, now." James started openly crying now. Emma reached out with her hand and brushed away his tears. "But I don't want to do something like that again." She smiled at him and he returned it and stopped crying.

Snow White appeared. "Emma." Again her name with so much love. Emma started crying. "Momma, I'm home." Snow White embraced her and kissed her.

Emma sat up a little on the bed and saw that Bae had also come into the room. _My family_. Her mother started the conversation she knew was going to happen. "Bae, tells us that it was a near thing at the end. You think Henry was able to help you."

Henry said, "I couldn't have helped. I didn't feel or see anything."

Emma said, "But there was some sort of voice or impression of a voice with the power that called me 'Mother.' What else could it be?"

Snow White said very gently and warmly, "It was your daughter Emma." She turned to look at Baelfire. "Congratulations, Bae. Your going to be a father again." Back to Emma. "The little girl growing inside you gave you whatever power she could to help you come back with her."

"Mother, I can't be very much along." "Six weeks about." "How could a six week old fetus do any such thing?"

"I don't know how, but I know that she did. She saved you."

Emma was overcome with wonder. She reached out to Bae, and he rushed over to embrace and kiss her.

"What's her name. What's the baby's name." Gold had come into the room.

"Ruth. Her name is Ruth."

Epilog

As the plane made a sharp turn to align with the runway, Emma tightened her seat belt, and adjusted Ruth in her arms so as to better support her daughter. They occupied the three seats the same way as always. Emma took the aisle, Henry the middle and Bae the window. When flying Bae was like a little kid. Emma supposed that growing up in a world where the fastest means of transportation was a horse, (and only the rich nobles and their knights had them) made flying seem a real miracle, and really, it was.

"This airport is kinda small, isn't it," opined Henry.

"Sure is, Kid. But the Gulf Coast is so peaceful this time of year." They were a week or more before the start of the heavy tourist season. This was (among other things) a graduation trip for Henry. He had just completed his Bachelor's in Public Administration. When she teased him (gently she hoped) about his choice of degree, Henry had very seriously responded.

"If I am to run the realms someday, I should have some real training." Henry was heir to at least two of the old realms in Fairy Tale Land. Maybe of the whole thing. When Emma had once teased Henry about it, saying, "Do I need to take precautions for my safety, Prince Henry?" Henry had angrily replied. "I know how to wait _my_ turn, Your Royal Highness." Emma had regretted the teasing immediately.

In reality Emma and most others realized that the chances of Emma outliving Snow White were slim. Emma was a year older in actual years, and "magic always comes with a price." Part of this price was a shortened lifespan. Emma could arbitrarily extend hers with magic, but this would just shift the price, and was one of the entrances to the "slippery slope." Emma had long ago decided she would be content with her natural time in this (or any other) world. She hoped she would have the courage to keep her vow.

Sarasota airport was so small that it took no time at all to deplane and make their way to the baggage area. There waiting for them were Daniel and Regina. Regina was almost hiding behind Daniel. Daniel greeted them effusively. Then he stepped back. Emma went to Regina. She took both hands in hers. The sight of Regina so nervous was unsettling. The sight of a pregnant Regina was mind boggling.

"You look good, Regina. I can see that 'expecting' agrees with you." (Regina was still vain.)

"It doesn't feel so good." She also retained her sarcastic ways.

Emma decided to drop the bombshell. "Maybe, that's because you are carrying two."

"What," said everyone in unison. Bae continued, "When did you learn to do this?"

"Apparently, I inherited this ability from Mother. It's a rather nice one to have."

"Which …." Regina started.

"Oh, fraternal."

Now everyone was so excited at the 'news' that they retired to the cafe for a drink before leaving.

Daniel. "Gina, now you don't have to be pregnant again."

Regina. "Don't tell me what to do, or not do." The lilt belied the reprimand.

Henry. "Another sister and a brother at one time." Regina turned bright red in appreciation of Henry's acknowledgment of their relationship.

Bae. "Now you'll need two names. I'm sure Dad will offer to help out." Laughter all around.

After a few minutes of this Emma changed the subject.

"I saw the article about you in 'Florida Realtor' Regina. You are making quite the splash.

"Apparently, Evil Queen is good training for selling real estate." Among the laughter, Emma marveled that Regina could joke about that. 'True Love' was really the most powerful magic.

"It was nice not having to stand the exam for the license," Regina continued. One of the more bizarre products of the Curse was everyone's documentation. The Curse seemed to know what each person would need. Regina Mills had had a license to sell real estate in the State of Maine. Getting one in Florida was just paperwork. Emma reflected that that was nothing compared to Dr. Whale's medical license or the knowledge that went with it. Unfortunately, his personality remained unchanged from his Fair Tale Land alter. The most peculiar of all, Emma thought was Katheryn's LSAT score, quite a good one at that. Emma had actually had to earn her PI license. _Not fair_.

Daniel had a stable, of course, and ran a thriving riding school. He had a way with horses unmatched by anyone from the mundane world. And he could teach anyone to ride and ride well. That was actually one of the reasons Emma and Baelfire had decided to come to Sarasota for the vacation. Henry needed to learn to ride well. Emma and Bae could use some instruction, as well.

Regina handed Emma an envelope. "Here are your keys, and some instructions about the pool system. I had it checked out just last month, so it's not likely you'll have a problem."

Regina paused, then continued. "Jefferson, Grace and Alice are just five houses down the beach. They got here yesterday." Grace, _she should be called Paige around here_, was in the same graduating class as Henry.

Henry put in. "Paige has never been to Florida before." He clearly had a thing for her. Emma had decided long ago that she approved of Paige.

Daniel with an odd tone asked, "Emma, you've never really told how you found Alice."

"That, Daniel, is a tale for another time."

Finis.


End file.
